William—the good

In the middle of a bustling Christmas holiday, a teenage boy named William finds himself bedridden with influenza while his family, friends, and the whole village dive into rehearsals, whist drives, and festive plans. Frustrated by the endless stream of puzzles, quizzes and well‑meaning gifts, he resents the passivity the illness forces on him and longs to be out in the woods playing games with his mates. In a moment of boredom, he picks up a moral tale about a virtuous youngster who rescues a sister from drinking and theft, and the story hooks him more tightly than any puzzle ever could.

The book’s simple, earnest hero mirrors William’s own age, sparking a sudden shift from restless annoyance to a fledgling desire to help those around him. As he finishes the story, his imagination turns from imagined Indian raids to real‑world acts of kindness, setting the stage for a quiet, personal rebellion against his own inertia. This opening invites listeners to follow William’s journey from ill‑fated boredom toward a tentative, hopeful sense of purpose.